


Opening Up

by Dare_devil



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: AU were Frank is a father figure to Peter, Past Abuse, Spoilers for Endgame, based on a special Spiderman Issue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 06:34:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18794899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dare_devil/pseuds/Dare_devil
Summary: Peter opens up to Frank about Skip.{ Contains mentions of sexual abuse rated M due to the seriousness of the topic, based on a Special Issue of Spiderman in one of the earlier comics }





	Opening Up

Frank sat in the living room of the safehouse as Peter slept on his bed. Things had been hard for Peter recently, since he lost Mr Stark Peter had been paying Frank more visits. Not that Frank minded, he enjoyed the kid’s company but it was almost like he started to cling to Frank in a way. Frank is not like Tony Stark, they’re both different and Frank couldn’t be the one to “replace” Peter’s need for a father figure. 

Maybe it was the fear of losing anyone else, Frank worries that he could end up being a bad influence to Peter...that the kid might go down the same path as him. Frank can’t change who he is but he knows once you cross over the line there no ever going back. Frank even thought about giving Amy Peter’s number, allow her to talk to more people her own age and maybe give Peter a chance to make a new friend alongside the ones he has in school, he likes to think they’d get along well. 

Peter had already told him about his friends, he may or may not have already met his best friend Ned who was definitely fanboying while also scared about meeting the Punisher. He was also aware of Peter’s crush on a girl named Mj and how Flash Thompson was starting to become a little more friendly with Peter, not yet friends but possibly getting there? Although Peter seemed happy with friends in school, Frank could see through it. 

Peter had been acting strange recently when Frank did see him. Almost like the kid was on edge, thinking all the time. Peter hid behind smiles and jokes but Frank knew better. He wondered if the kid was still taking the death of Tony really hard or if he was hiding something else. 

Peter lay curled under the blankets on Frank’s bed. The kid would usually turn up when he was too tired to go back home but this time Frank knew something was up. Peter turned up at the safehouse tonight asking if he could stay the night, he had told him that his Aunt May was out of town this weekend with Happy and didn’t want to be alone. Frank had tired asking him what was wrong but Peter shook it off by saying being home alone at night gives him the creeps. 

With May knowing about Peter being Spiderman she also knew about Frank. Frank had met her once and they talked about stuff, one thing that stuck in his mind was one thing May had told him “Peter...had a difficult time growing up, it’s not for me to say and I believe he may open up to you eventually but...look out for him please?” Frank had promised May that he would look out for him when the kid was out or when he needed him. 

He watched over Peter and he sorted out his weapons, checking how many bullets he had left before putting them away in his duffel bag. 

That’s when he heard the sound of heavy breathing. Looking up at the bedroom with the open bedroom door, Peter clutched tightly onto the sheets, whimpers leaving his lips. What raised alarm bells was when he heard a word leave Peter’s lips almost a sob “stop”.

Enough was enough, he couldn’t watch the kid suffer whatever this bad dream was. Pushing the bag aside he quickly got up and rushed to the bedroom, sitting down on the bed as he began to gently shake Peter.

“Kid it’s okay, wake up” he said as he gently shook him. Frank almost got a fright as Peter quickly shot up in bed, ready to fight whoever it was on the bed.  
“Kid hey! Hey it’s me!” called out Frank as he grabbed Peter’s wrists as the kid began to calm down. His soft brown eyes looking up at Frank, tears beginning to fill up.

“I’m-I’m sorry” he muttered worried that his voice would sound weak if he talked any louder.  
“Don’t be...was it Tony?” Asked Frank, indicating to the dream.  
Peter shook his head as Frank finally let go of his wrists.  
Peter put his head down but Frank followed, trying to keep eye contact with the kid “Do you want to talk to me?” He Asked.

A hiccup left Peter as he sniffled “it been on my mind since Mr Stark...I thought I could forget about it, move on...but it has a way of coming back to me...something happened when I was twelve” Started Peter.  
“Was it your Uncle?” Asked Frank, he was aware of his Uncle passing away and he was aware that Peter was young when it happened. Peter shook his head before continuing “I had no friends growing up...I’d spend my days in the library, reading books...until one day I met this guy, his name was Skip. He was older than me but I thought he was cool, he thought I was cool. He used to call me Einstein” he continued as he began to play with the sleeve of his shirt, Frank had a really bad feeling about where this was going. 

A shakey breath left Peter’s lips as he continued “my aunt May thought it was great that I made a friend so she’d let me go around to his...b-but one day...one day he showed me some magazines” Frank felt sick, he knew exactly where this was going and he felt sick.

“He said he wanted to do his own experiment...he wanted us to copy the pictures and I was too scared, I froze” he looked up and Frank could see how broken the kid looked, tears began to fall and his lip began to tremble.  
“He touched me Mr Castle and I-I couldn’t stop him” he sobbed, Frank felt too many things, his heart broke listening to Peter and he felt anger, he wanted to find this Skip guy and make sure he’d never go near Peter or any other kid again. 

“What happened next?” Asked Frank.  
Peter tried to speak but words struggled to leave “it’s ok, take your time” reassured Frank. 

“I-I told my Aunt May and Uncle Ben, they reported it to the police and he ended up in jail...I-I don’t know if he’s still in there” Said Peter before he went silent again. Shakey breathes leaving his lips. He wanted to hug Peter and tell him that he’s brave and that he’ll never let that man go near him but he didn’t know if that was the right thing to do.

“Did...did you ever tell Tony this?” He asked quietly as Peter shook his head. Frank was a little taken back, that Peter must feel this sense of security and trust to be able to tell him this. 

“I never felt like I needed to tell him...but after everything, I’ve started thinking about it again...I’m scared Mr Castle” he whispered as he looked up at him.  
“Can I hug you?” Asked Frank and Peter quickly nodded his head “Please” he whimpered, its what he has been wanting since he came through the door tonight.

Frank wrapped his arms around Peter, pulling him close as Peter sobbed. Frank soothingly hushed him as he held him. Never did he think he would ever have Peter confess something like this to him, it make him feel sick and angry that someone would do this. 

“You’re brave kid, for speaking up to your family about it and for telling me...what happened was not your fault so don’t ever think that okay?” Said Frank as Peter nodded his head. Frank gently rubbed Peter’s back as he felt the tears beginning to stop.

It had been playing of Peter’s mind recently and it terrified him. He didn’t want to worry his Aunt May so he kept it to himself but the idea of his Aunt going away for the weekend and being alone with his thoughts, with these memories terrified him. The idea of being with Frank made him safe, Frank seemed to enjoy his company and was in a way protective over him and that’s what Peter needed, to feel safe. 

Peter pulled away from the hug as he wiped his eyes with his sleeves. “What time is it?” Asked Peter.  
“It’s late...you think you can go back to sleep?” He asked before Peter hesitantly nodded his head.  
“Stay?...please?” He pleaded softly.  
Frank got up as Peter shuffled to the other side of the bed as he sat on the bed, resting his back against the headboard as Peter lay back down, curling into a ball and closing his eyes.

“I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you” Said Frank softly and he gently raked his fingers through Peter’s soft hair, something he used to do when his little girl or boy had a bad dream and were too scared to go back to sleep. 

He could feel Peter relaxing into the touch as he began to fall back asleep. He stayed there for a while, making sure that he was asleep before he climbed off the bed, making sure not to wake him.

Making his way to the living room, he picked up his laptop and opened the search bar. He looked into a few articles and discovered this guy’s real name was Steven Westcott, based on the sentencing he got it may be likely the guy is out of jail. He may give that PI Jessica Jones a call tomorrow see if she can find more information on him. If he was free, Frank was going to make sure he’s not longer a threat to anyone ever again.


End file.
